The United States Army intends to start its own esports program in the hopes of recruiting prospective players to join the military.
A Reddit post by Staff Sgt. Ryan Meaux details the U.S. Army’s plans to launch “two new competitive outreach teams,” one of which is an esports team. The esports program, along with the Army Functional Fitness team, will be part of the Marketing and Engagement Brigade in Fort Knox, Kentucky, according to Meaux.
Meaux said that the goal of this new esports program is to “create awareness about the Army and the opportunities it provides.” In addition to competing for the Army in esports tournaments, players on this team will get the chance to beta test some of the technology used by the U.S. military.
“Soldiers have expressed a strong desire to represent the Army in competitive gaming,” Meaux said. “This initiative will help make our soldiers more visible and relatable to today’s youth.”
One of the games that could be a part of the Army esports team is Fortnite: Battle Royale, according to a comment Meaux made on the Reddit post. No other esports titles were specifically mentioned in the post, however.
Meaux assured that players on the Army esports team will “receive the same pay and benefits as other soldiers of equal rank across the Army.” In addition, the Army will pay for “all expenses associated with certifications, competitions, and other requirements for the job.”
The Reddit post also featured two different links for interested recruits to sign up for the Army esports team—one is for active soldiers, Army reserves, or veterans, and the other is for anyone who isn’t in the Army.
H/T VGR
